3D Interactive Construction Estimating System

Abstract

A 3D interactive construction estimating system is provided that includes a computerized interactive ERP/3D design and estimating system for building construction projects and services. The computerized 3D interactive construction estimating system is real-time, visual, and transparent to both the customer and the manufacturer, and allows the customer to design and customize a home or other building with real-time integrated 3D virtual tour, pricing, scheduling, ordering, and financing options. The system includes an ERP system, a CAD system, and a graphical front end that provides the user with a virtual design experience.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building to be physically constructed by a builder for a user, using a digital computer with a display, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving, using the digital computer, input from the user selecting a building template from a predetermined list of available building templates;   displaying, upon a graphical user interface of said display of the digital computer, a virtual representation of the selected building template and an associated initial price of the selected building template;   providing the selected building template with at least one interior or exterior feature that is customizable by the user;   receiving, using the digital computer, input from the user selecting a first customization option from a predetermined list of customization options that alters the selected building template with said at least one interior or exterior feature;   retrieving, using the digital computer, a first data element based upon computer-readable data stored in a Computer Aided Design (CAD) database that enables the digital computer to provide the user with a virtual representation of the selected first customization option;   displaying, upon the graphical user interface of said display, a modified virtual representation of the selected building template that includes said virtual representation of the first selected customization option;   retrieving, using the digital computer, a second data element based upon computer-readable data stored in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) database that represents a first unit price of the selected first customization option;   displaying, upon the graphical user interface of said display, a modified price that includes the initial price of the selected building template and the first unit price of the selected first customization option,   wherein the modified virtual representation and the modified price of the selected building template are displayed substantially at the same time; and   assembling, using the digital computer, an engineering bill of materials to physically construct the pre-designed tangible building that includes the selected first customization option.   
     
     
         2 . The method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first data element and second data element are each stored in a common information database that is separate from the ERP database and the CAD database, and   wherein the digital computer retrieves the first data element and second data element from the common information database.   
     
     
         3 . The method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building of  claim 2 , wherein the first customization option comprises a single assembly, stored in the common information database, that includes both of the first data element and second data element. 
     
     
         4 . The method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building of  claim 1 , wherein the first customization option comprises a collection of sub-components that each comprise a plurality of characteristics that are separately maintained by the ERP database. 
     
     
         5 . The method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building of  claim 4 , wherein the ERP database provides a single value that is the first unit price based upon the plurality of characteristics of all of the sub-components of the first customization option. 
     
     
         6 . The method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the first unit price is stored in a common information database that is separate from the ERP database, and   wherein the step of retrieving the second data element comprises retrieving, using the digital computer, the first unit price from the common information database.   
     
     
         7 . The method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building of  claim 1 , wherein the modified price further comprises at least one adjustment factor. 
     
     
         8 . The method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building of  claim 1 , wherein the digital computer retrieves the first data element directly from the CAD database and the second data element directly from the ERP database. 
     
     
         9 . The method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 receiving, using the digital computer, input from the user to authorize the builder to physically construct the pre-designed tangible building including the first selected customization option.   
     
     
         10 . The method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the digital computer further comprises a human touch-sensitive input device, and   wherein the step of receiving input from the user comprises receiving input from the human touch-sensitive input device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building of  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
 receiving, via the human touch-sensitive input device, a command from the user to alter an orientation of the modified virtual representation in three dimensions; and   displaying, upon the graphical user interface of said display, a different view of the modified virtual representation in three dimensions at the altered orientation.   
     
     
         12 . The method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 receiving, using the digital computer, input from the user selecting a second customization option from another predetermined list of customization options to thereby further customize the selected building template;   retrieving, using the digital computer, a third data element based upon computer-readable data stored in a Computer Aided Design (CAD) database that enables the digital computer to provide a virtual representation of the selected second customization option;   displaying, upon the graphical user interface of said display, a second modified virtual representation of the selected building template that includes the virtual representations of both of the first and second selected customization options;   retrieving, using the digital computer, a fourth data element based upon computer-readable data stored in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) database that represents a second unit price of the selected second customization option; and   displaying, upon the graphical user interface of said display, a second modified price of the selected building template that includes the initial price, the first unit price and the second unit price,   wherein the second modified virtual representation and the second modified price are displayed substantially at the same time.   
     
     
         13 . The method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable data stored in the CAD database and the ERP database is accessible via a networked computing environment. 
     
     
         14 . The method of customizing a pre-designed tangible building of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one interior or exterior feature that is customizable by the user comprises at least one of an appliance, furniture, solar panels, and landscaping. 
     
     
         15 . An interactive system for facilitating customization of a pre-designed tangible building to be physically constructed by a builder for a user, the system comprising:
 a Computer Aided Design (CAD) database storing a plurality of available building templates and further storing a plurality of first data elements each corresponding to one of a plurality of customization options that will alter at least one interior or exterior feature of the available building templates;   an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) database storing computer-readable data that comprises an initial price for each of the plurality of available building templates and a plurality of second data elements corresponding to a unit price for each of the plurality of customization options;   a common information database distinct from and in communication with the ERP database and the CAD database, wherein the common information database stores computer-readable data that comprises a plurality of product assemblies with each product assembly corresponding to one of the plurality of customization options,   wherein each product assembly further comprises one of said first data element and one of said second data element; and   a tangible, interactive computer system operated by the user, comprising:
 at least one digital processor; 
 at least one display connected to the at least one digital processor and capable of displaying a graphical user interface; 
 a user touch-sensitive input device connected to the at least one digital processor for manipulating the graphical user interface based upon inputs received from the user; and 
 a processor-readable storage device including instructions executable by the at least one digital processor to execute instructions for: 
 receiving, using the touch-sensitive input device, input from the user selecting a building template; 
 displaying, upon the graphical user interface of the display, a virtual representation in three dimensions of the selected building template and an associated initial price of the selected building template; 
 receiving, using the touch-sensitive input device, input from the user selecting one of said plurality of customization options; 
 receiving, from the common information database, a product assembly that corresponds to the selected customization option and includes associated first and second data elements, 
 wherein the first data element of each of the plurality of customization options comprises computer-readable data that enables the at least one digital processor to display in three dimensions a virtual representation of each customization option upon the at least one display; 
 displaying, upon the graphical user interface of the display, a modified virtual representation in three dimensions of the selected building template that includes said virtual representation of the selected customization option based upon said associated first data element; and 
 displaying, upon the graphical user interface of the display, a modified price that includes the initial price of the selected building template and a unit price of the selected customization option based upon said associated second data element. 
   
     
     
         16 . The interactive system of  claim 15 , wherein the common information database is physically located at a different geographic location than the CAD database and ERP database, and is in communication with both of the CAD database and ERP database via a networked computing environment. 
     
     
         17 . The interactive system of  claim 15 , wherein the tangible, interactive computer system can further execute instructions for:
 assembling an engineering bill of materials to physically construct the tangible building that includes the selected customization option.   
     
     
         18 . The interactive system of  claim 17 , wherein the first customization option comprises a collection of sub-components that each comprise a plurality of characteristics that are separately maintained by the ERP database, and
 wherein the tangible, interactive computer system can further execute instructions for receiving, from the ERP database, the collection of sub-components of the first customization option to thereby assemble the engineering bill of materials.   
     
     
         19 . The interactive system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one display comprises at least two displays, and
 wherein the tangible, interactive computer system can further execute instructions for displaying, on one display, the modified virtual representation in three dimensions of the selected building template that includes the selected customization option, and further displaying, on another display, information relating to the first and second data elements of the product assembly that corresponds to the selected customization option.   
     
     
         20 . The interactive system of  claim 15 , wherein the tangible, interactive computer system can further execute instructions for:
 receiving, via the user touch-sensitive input device, a command from the user to alter an orientation of the modified virtual representation in three dimensions; and   displaying, upon the graphical user interface of the display, a different view of the modified virtual representation in three dimensions at the altered orientation.   
     
     
         21 . The interactive system of  claim 15 , wherein the modified price that is displayed upon the graphical user interface of the display further includes an adjustment factor.